Delayed Reaction: When a Man Loves a Woman

The Pitch: A couple tries to work through the wife's alcoholism.

How I Came Into It: I really am in that part of my Club 50 project where the movies that are left are either ones I've specifically avoided or I know absolutely nothing about. This is the latter.

Why I Saw It: (Club 50) Meg Ryan is at times very good in this. I don't know how often she's made awards plays like this, but I wouldn't mind discovering a couple more. My primary exposure to Andy Garcia is always going to be the Ocean's movies and it's very hard for me to separate him from Terry Benedict. He does well here too though, once I get past that. What most pleased me though was that the daughters are played by Tina Majorino (Veronica Mars) and Mae Whitman (Parenthood), and Philip Seymour Hoffman shows up too (in a role so small that even he couldn't steal the show with it).

Why I Wish I Hadn't: It goes on too long, first an foremost. There's too long between beats so the story never gains any momentum. So much of the conflict stems from the characters not always acting like people. If the characters would talk like real people then half the conflict, especially in the third act would go away.

Verdict (?): Weakly Recommend